Iran

Ali Mohammadi/Bloomberg News

Iran, known as Persia until 1935 and now officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is the second-largest nation in the Middle East by population; Iraq shares a border, along with historical and religious ties, with Iraq.

Iran has been a quasi-theocracy since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which deposed Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. Democratically elected President Hassan Rouhani is head of the republic, but divine leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei controls the military, the judiciary and the state broadcasting services. Shiite Islam is the state religion of Iran, with Sunni Muslims constituting a very small minority of the nation.

Iran continues to face international criticism for not adhering to the requirements of United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding its nuclear facilities and its uranium enrichment program.

Keep up to date on breaking news in Iran and explore our extensive archive below.

Chronology of Coverage

Mar. 2, 2015

Sec of State John Kerry prepares to meet again with Iranian Foreign Min Mohammad Javad Zarif in final push to negotiate deal to limit Iran's nuclear program; meeting comes as Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Washington to denounce same accord; Kerry's relentless negotiating style and close diplomatic relationship with Zarif have themselves become subject of debate amid tense, seven-nation talks. MORE

Mar. 2, 2015

Memo from Jerusalem; Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress is happening at tense time in run-up to Israel's elections and has sparked debate about possible benefits versus risk of hurting critical Israeli-American relations; Israelis are divided over whether he will save nation against Iranian nuclear threat or whether his Iran policy has failed. MORE

Feb. 27, 2015

David Brooks Op-Ed column warns Obama administration may be making serious mistake in assuming rational mindset on part of Iran during nuclear negotiations, and in potentially allowing Iran nuclear power; holds if Iran remains radical and destabilizing influence in region, Western leaders should be tightening sanctions and further isolating Iran rather than allowing it nuclear capacity. MORE

Feb. 26, 2015

Tense White House meeting between national security adviser Susan E Rice and her Israeli counterpart Yossi Cohen underscores rift between Pres Obama and Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu over his pending speech to Congress on Iran nuclear talks; Rice characterizes Netyanhu's actions as 'destructive,' suggesting risk to long-term bipartisan support for Israel. MORE

Feb. 26, 2015

Iran's navy carries out practice attack on scale mock-up of American aircraft carrier near strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has threatened to close in event of attack on its nuclear sites; exercise is intended as reminder of Iran's military power, even as it is engaged in diplomatic talks with United States. MORE

Feb. 26, 2015

Editorial examines implications of NSA document showing escalation of cyberattacks between United States and Iran, with the latter significantly stepping up its capabilities in recent years; calls for acceleration of international efforts to negotiate limits on the cyberarms race, which is presenting ever greater dangers to privacy and vital institutions. MORE

Feb. 25, 2015

Sec of State John Kerry, appearing before Senate panel, cautions critics of nuclear talks with Iran to 'wait and see' what negotiations with Tehran will lead to; specifically references Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to address Congress. MORE

Feb. 25, 2015

Editorial expresses hope that quickening pace of talks between Iran and six major powers offers sign that agreement over Iran's nuclear program is possible; argues that those who wish for Iran to completely dismantle its program are being unreasonable; warns that even an imperfect deal that includes aggressive inspections would be preferable to allowing Iran to continue its nuclear activities unfettered. MORE

Feb. 24, 2015

Round of high-level talks end with Iranian and American officials considering proposal that would severely limit Iran's nuclear capabilities but ease restrictions slowly over course of at least 10 years. MORE

Feb. 24, 2015

Iran Journal; jazz composer and performer Beb Belden is well-received as he tours Iran with his band Animation; is first American musician to play in country since 1979 revolution; trip highlights how Iran's government appears to be softening their stance on the West. MORE

Feb. 24, 2015

Leaked South African intelligence service documents include 2012 report by Israeli intelligence agency Mossad saying that Iran did not appear close to second stage of nuclear weapon production; report contradicts Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu, who had only three weeks earlier given dire speech at United Nations warning that Iran was only few months away from making nuclear bomb. MORE

Feb. 23, 2015

Newly revealed National Security Agency document shows sharp increase in use of cyberweapons by United States and Iran against each other, both for espionage and sabotage. MORE

Feb. 23, 2015

Decision by University of Massachusetts at Amherst to ban Iranian nationals from certain science and engineering programs has sparked anger and complaints; policy, set up to comply with federal law that established new sanctions against Iran for its nuclear weapons program, is revised after backlash in community; still, many Iranian students and those who sympathize with them question need for any policy, as law does not explicitly call on universities to carry out its enforcement. MORE

Feb. 20, 2015

International Atomic Energy Agency releases report charging that Iran continues to stonewall questions about evidence of past work on designing nuclear weapons; report comes as American and Iranian negotiators are set to meet for four days of talks in Geneva over country's nuclear program. MORE

Feb. 19, 2015

Family of imprisoned Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian says Iranian judge Abolghassem Salavati has inhibited their efforts to assign lawyer Masoud Shafiei to case; family says that Salavati has failed to give Shafiei permission to visit Rezaian and obtain his signed consent. MORE

Feb. 19, 2015

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, says that he does not trust West to lift all sanctions against Iran, condition he had said was essential to success of nuclear talks; comments cast doubt on prospect of peaceful compromise. MORE

Feb. 18, 2015

Assistants to Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu say they are not being informed of details as United States engages in talks with Iran over nuclear deal; US denies allegations. MORE

Feb. 17, 2015

Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab says United States has discovered method to permanently embed surveillance and sabotage tools in computers in countries like Iran, Russia, Pakistan and China; points out many of tools are designed to run on computers that are not connected to Internet, and lets US intelligence agencies unlock scrambled contents unnoticed. MORE

Feb. 14, 2015

Buenos Aires prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita is seeking to charge Argentina's Pres Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and other officials of very accusations lodged against her by late Alberto Nisman--that of protecting Iranians from responsibility in 1994 bombing at Jewish center that killed 85 people; Nisman was found dead of gunshot wound one day before he was to voice his claims in Congress. MORE

Feb. 14, 2015

Mary Rezaian, mother of Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, who has been imprisoned in Iran since July 2014, says Iranian authorities have curbed prison visits from his Iranian wife and fears his trial will not begin til April. MORE

Feb. 11, 2015

Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu confirms for third time that he still plans to speak to joint meeting of Congress regarding his objections to Iran's nuclear program; Democrats have objected to circumstances surrounding visit by Netanyahu, to whom House Speaker John Boehner issued invitation without consulting Democrats or White House. MORE

Feb. 10, 2015

Pres Obama, appearing at news conference, signals displeasure at Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled speech before Congress in March; Netanyahu vows to go forward with speech, in which he intends to call on lawmakers to take harder line against Iran, despite growing pressure; rift threatens to inject politics into relationship between two nations. MORE

Feb. 9, 2015

Iran Foreign Min Mohammad Javad Zarif, at Munich security conference, is pressing for progress in talks over limiting country's nuclear program ahead of March 2015 deadline; meetings are dominated by debates on Ukraine fighting. MORE

Feb. 6, 2015

Deep policy and political divisions between Pres Obama and New Jersey Sen Robert Menendez, top Democrat on Foreign Relations Committee, have burst into public view; Menendez, whose position would otherwise make him key advocate for administration policy, has sharply questioned Obama's stance on Cuba and Iran. MORE

Feb. 5, 2015

Iranian Pres Hassan Rouhani accuses United States, Israel and other nuclear-armed countries of hypocrisy, emphasizing that his country wants to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes; comments, delivered in strongly-worded speech aimed at domestic audience, comes as retort to Iranian hard-liners who have accused Rouhani of weakness in international relations. MORE

Feb. 4, 2015

Investigators into mysterious death of Argentinian prosecutor Alberto Nisman says he drafted request for arrest of Pres Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, charging her with attempting to protect Iranian officials from culpability in 1994 bombing of Jewish center in Buenos Aires. MORE

Feb. 4, 2015

Thomas L Friedman Op-Ed column warns that Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu's planned address to Congress about Iran at invitation of Speaker John Boehner could have disastrous consequences for Israeli-American relations; underscores how it is not in Israel's interest to be seen as influencing directly America's decisions about what to do with Iran, particularly if negotiations over its nuclear program fail. MORE

Jan. 31, 2015

Argentine Pres Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner suggests 'rogue spies' had hand in death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was investigating 1994 bombing of Jewish center; dismisses Nisman's accusations of government collusion with Iran, citing statement from former Interpol secretary general that Argentina never requested lifting of arrest warrants for Iranian officials. MORE

Jan. 30, 2015

Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu has had little success as he seeks to reach out to Democratic lawmakers and ease rift after he did not seek White House invitation ahead of planned address to Congress; maneuver came at time of deep partisan divide over Iran's nuclear program, and may have cost Netanyahu support among Democrats. MORE

Jan. 29, 2015

Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reports that detained Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezian will go to trial soon, but no information is released about the charges he faces. MORE

Jan. 29, 2015

Iran appoints Gholamali Khoshroo as substitute ambassador to United Nations, bowing to United States opposition to its original appointment of Hamid Aboutalebi; United States has accused Aboutalebi of aiding planners of 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. MORE

Jan. 29, 2015

Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu's acceptance of House Speaker John A Boehner's invitation to address Congress has unintentionally helped Pres Obama rally Democrats to his cause on nuclear talks with Iran; 10 Democrats announce their support of delay on voting on Iran sanctions. MORE

Jan. 28, 2015

Senate Democrats agree to delay sanctions against Iran until after March deadline. MORE

Jan. 28, 2015

Jan. 27, 2015

Argentinian Pres Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner announces that she will ask Congress to dissolve Intelligence Secretariat so it can be replaced with new agency with curtailed surveillance powers; move is response to mysterious death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was conducting inquiry into 1994 attack on Jewish center; Kirchner blames rogue elements within intelligence agency for impeding agreement with Iran to jointly investigate attack. MORE

Jan. 24, 2015

Editorial criticizes House Speaker John Boehner and Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer for inviting Israeli Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu to Congress to challenge Pres Obama’s plan for achieving nuclear agreement with Iran and urge on more sanctions; says Republicans are trying to undermine Obama’s foreign policy, while Netanyahu is making misguided bid to bolster his image. MORE

Jan. 23, 2015

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei makes rare effort to reach out to American and European youth; sends published letter and Twitter posts asking young Westerners to research Islam themselves rather than relying on media sources for an understanding of one of world's oldest religions and cultures. MORE

Jan. 23, 2015

Pres Obama will not be meeting with Prime Min Benjamin Netanyahu during Israeli leader's March visit, when he will address joint session of Congress to lobby for additional sanctions against Iran; Obama opposes sanctions but Republican takeover of Senate and House Speaker John Boehner's efforts to win powerful allies in fight with Obama over Iran's nuclear plans have given battle momentum. MORE

Jan. 23, 2015

Argentine Pres Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner abruptly reverses position and states she now believes prosecutor Alberto Nisman did not commit suicide, but that death was plot to sully her; Nisman had long implicated Iran in 1994 bombing of Jewish center but had only recently accused Kirchner and her aides of subverting his 10-year investigation into bombing, claim officials deny. MORE

Jan. 23, 2015

Iranian judiciary discloses that it had sentenced former Vice Pres Mohammad-Reza Rahimi to five years in jail after his conviction for corruption, some months ago; also fines him equivalent of $1 million. MORE

Jan. 22, 2015

Secret negotiations for Argentina to receive oil from Iran in exchange for thwarting investigation into 1994 bombing of Jewish community center are confirmed in transcripts of telephone conversations between governments; deal did not go through, as Argentine officials could not get Interpol to lift arrest warrants on Iranian officials; transcripts are made public as part of part of criminal complaint filed by Alberto Nisman, special prosecutor investigating bombing, who was found dead night before he would have presented findings to Congress. MORE

Jan. 22, 2015

News Analysis; political crisis in Yemen is likely to continue despite agreement reached between Pres Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi and Houthi rebels; economic collapse seems imminent since Saudi Arabia cut off financial aid to government; ongoing sectarian fighting could be exploited by Al Qaeda or become proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran; United States has no strong allies in country that is increasingly unstable. MORE

Jan. 21, 2015

Jan. 21, 2015

Editorial argues best response to mysterious death of Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman is to create international team to investigate truth about 1994 terrorist bombing of Buenos Aires Jewish community center; notes that Nisman was expected to testify that Pres Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner had cut deal with Iran to protect some of those behind attack, and was convinced Hezbollah was responsible; raises questions about eagerness of Kirchner's government to attribute Nisman's death to suicide. MORE

Jan. 20, 2015

Perplexing death of Argentine federal prosecutor Alberto Nisman has gripped nation and deepened mystery surrounding his 10-year investigation into 1994 suicide bombing at Jewish center that left 85 people dead; at time of his death, Nisman was scheduled to testify before lawmakers about his accusations that Pres Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and top officials had conspired with Iran to hide its responsibility for the bombing in order to secure deal Iranian oil deal. MORE

Jan. 20, 2015

Iran confirms that Israeli airstrike in southern Syria that killed Hezbollah fighters also claimed life of Gen Mohammad Ali Allahdadi; general's presence among Hezbollah points to Iran's deepening military involvement in Syria, and attack by Israel has increased tension in region. MORE

Jan. 19, 2015

Tehran Journal; luxury shopping malls are proliferating across Iran, despite country's economy being choked by Western sanctions and record low oil prices. MORE

Jan. 17, 2015

Editorial argues that Iranian judiciary has been given opportunity to dismiss case against Jason Rezaian, Washington Post reporter imprisoned for several months in Iran, as case moves forward into next phase; says that by releasing Rezaian, who has not been officially charged with any crime, Iran could prove its credibility and trustworthiness at key time. MORE

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